Being Neurodivergent, or as some call it 'Neuro Spicy' has become more common in the recent years. As researchers learn more about the human brain, the public learns more about themselves. For some adults, that means they are only now realising they are Neurodivergent.
Neurodivergence happens when someone's brain functions in a different way from what society thinks is typical. How a person processes facts and logic, interacts with the world, reads social cues, and their behaviour, all stem from how their brain works. Some people mask these behaviours to 'fit in,' often draining them of energy.
Neurodivergence isn't one size fits all, because no one person is the same. For some people this can be classified as a diagnosis, like ADHD, Aspergers, Tourette's or Autism.
Gone are the days when we attached stigma to these terms – now we know that everyone's brain works differently. When we embrace this, we see the best results in our relationships and in the workplace.
The team at Mindtools have put together this useful infographic on Neurodiversity at Work. Irrespective of whether you hire people, or simply work with them, we loved the way this infographic normalises understanding, accepting and adapting to embrace everyone's strengths.
If you work with someone who is Neurodivergent, or are Neurodivergent yourself, it includes tips on how you can relate to your peers and reframe your perspective. That could mean adapting your strategy, giving people different ways to communicate, setting clear expectations, giving people a quiet environment to work in, or being open about your own lived experience.
How can you better embrace and understand Neurodiversity in the people you work with?
